“ESSKEETIT” Glorifies Drugs and Money, Objectifies Women

Catapulting off his “Gucci Gang” success, Lil Pump recently released “ESSKEETIT,” its title being a play on words for the phrase “Let’s get it.” In the music video, Lil Pump’s first and foremost goal is to show off his money. While his blatant display of wealth is slightly motivating through the jealousy it evokes, it’s primarily childish. In two separate takes, he destroys the rear windshield of his Rolls-Royce Wraith by stomping on it and smashing it with a golf club, and he jumps around on top of an armored truck full of cash, only to have machines create wind vortexes of $100 bills. Other more subdued but still obvious flaunts of money appear, like how he has his own armored truck with the term “ESSKEETIT” painted on the side, as well as when he sits on an ice-sculpture throne while holding a wolf on a leash.

But that’s not all. He brags about drug use—ecstasy in particular—in the barely-understandable lyrics, and his video depicts women as disposable extras. Now, while he may not abuse drugs in reality, his music heavily promotes drug use to his audience. He dehumanizes the women in the video towards the end by replacing their eyes with X’s, and their bodies are objectified throughout. Despite interesting video and prop effects, this grandiose but cringe-worthy video leaves little hope for the current bearing of mainstream “mumble rap” music.